Corruption of the Sky
by InfinitiveEvil101
Summary: No longer is the blondehaired hero what he used to be... CloudTifa Chapter 3 Up!
1. Cast Away

Note: I relatively new to the fandom of Final Fantasy, even though I've known about it for years. I just didn't understand why each game had a different storyline. It wasn't until Advent Children came out that I started to get interested in the series. Since I'm new there may be some misspellings of names or places in this story. R and R!

Chapter 1: Cast Away

They were the best of friends. Through the worst of times she was there for him, by his side all the way. Yet she knew that there was a brick wall between them and even her great inhuman strength could do nothing to bring it down.

It had been only a year after the events of the Advent Children and even now Tifa Lockheart felt all the more distant from her comrade, Cloud. They continued to look after the orphans of the city, and things had been more settled. Cid, Yuffie, and Vincent departed for unknown lands supposedly returning to their roots, but they left so abruptly no one noticed.

In her eyes Cloud changed drastically since the battle against Sephiroth. He seemed more irritable, lazy, and tired. One couldn't even start a conversation without him getting on the defensive. She grew more concerned by the day and now that he was out with Marlene, Tifa would try her luck again.

He came back home in a huff, apparently he'd ran a mean distance. Marlene was not far behind. Tifa stepped up from her chair.

"Hey Cloud. Where'd you guys go today?" she asked meekly.

"…Out…to this uh…"

"We went to the new park they just built in the city! It was a lot of fun Tifa you should've came with us!" blurted out Marlene.

"Well I would have except no one woke me up…Cloud?"

His face flushed a little. "You just looked so peaceful…that I didn't want to disturb you."

Tifa scoffed at this, recalling numerous times when he woke her up in false pretences of a crisis.

"Listen, can I talk to you?" she asked.

Cloud said nothing and followed her into their bedroom. He plopped himself onto the bed while Tifa kneeled beside him. She struggled to smile even when he seemed to have no expression on his face.

"Cloud what's going on with you? I mean ever since Sephiroth was here you've been acting different, mainly around me. Tell me what's wrong."

"I don't know what you mean…I'm still Cloud Strife."

"Yeah, that's just it. Your Cloud Strife only in name, not personality. I only want the old you back."

Annoyed, he raised himself up off the bed and made for the door.

"Cloud!"

He gave her a stare that made her freeze. She made no efforts to pursue him or call his name again for her voice was shot. Tifa could only watch as her best friend left her in darkness and sadness. What could've happened to him?


	2. Dangerous Duty

Chapter 2: Dangerous Duty

Cloud currently took over the task of civilian protection in the city, since there were still threats both foreign and common after Sephiroth's coming. He wasn't too fond of the job as he never found much satisfaction taking out those of lesser value. Yet today a new threat had come and it wasn't like the previous thugs that seemed to riddle the streets. This was a beast of true merit and fear…

This call interrupted his most precious time-when he was out in the garden behind the orphanage reminiscing on days gone by…on Aerith.

"I'm sorry…" he told himself repeatedly.

His eyes were closed and his breathing softened. If he wanted to he could've went to sleep there in the flower bed but the calamity of the outside realm prevented it. A few moments later Denzel came from out of the back door with a phone in his hand. Cloud instantly sensed his presence but refused to move.

"Cloud! You're out here again? This is really getting old…"

"Some reason you came out here?" he questioned.

"Yeah. The governor called in again, said it's a real nasty one this time." Denzel handed him the phone.

Cloud swiped it away and moaned. "Where is it?"

A bass like voice rambled against Cloud's ear. Once it was finished he closed the phone and tossed it to Denzel.

"I'll be back in a short while. Oh, and remind me who's bright idea it was to start up this law and system of government…"

"It was yours! Don't you remember you and Tifa decided that together."

He couldn't recall it; nothing made any sense to him. Instead of trying to put the pieces together Cloud retrieved his sword and got aboard his Fenrir. Denzel's cries were muffled by the sound of the engine as Cloud sped off into the distance.

* * *

About 2 miles from the border of Edge the fury of the beast was visible. It was a wooly, iridescent colored creature with wings of red veins and a face of bold ferocity. Bellowing and stomping it's feet it spotted Cloud from a distance and galloped at full speed to him.

His First Tsurugi in hand Cloud revved up and charged. It closed in on him and just when the claws were about to make contact he zips underneath and tosses the sword into the belly of the beast. A stinging screech could be heard all through the city and something milky started to seep out.

Cloud turned only a bit to see out the corner of his eye what it was. Disbelief covered his face.

"That can't be…white mako…!" he shuttered.

It was a rare and peculiar site. Only Aerith was known to possess it and now this thing was bleeding it! Cloud could only cringe at what he'd done.

"Are you with the Cetras?" he asked rhetorically.

It grinned feverishly and then started to speak. "Believe what I say. I'm a manifestation of the Cetras, a final cry of desperation in their attempts to preserve this planet. But you Cloud Strife have ceased my will…"

"…What do you mean? The governor of my city said that you were destroying-"

"I was protecting myself from the infidels of this world…there…after me…and they want you to be with them."

He cautiously eased towards the impalement of the Mako Beast and removed the sword. The pain was apparent but it showed no emotion as it crawled a few feet away from Cloud.

"You're not on my side anymore…not on Aerith's side…"

"I will always be on her side!"

"Maybe you say that now but soon the malignance inside you will grow and everything you once cherished will become a liability. For that reason and many others Cloud Strife you must perish here…"

His guard was none. He couldn't have understood what was being told to him was supposed to save his life so he could make things right. The response was too late as the Mako Beast pressed his weight against Cloud's chest and sank its fangs into the fallen hero's shoulder…

Note: I'm sure I'll get a lot of criticism on the technical details but I pretty much don't mind flaming so long as it is somewhat constructive. R and R!


	3. Father

Chapter 3: Father

The battle Cloud had experienced to fend off the illness brought on by Jenova was not entirely won. During this fight Sephiroth had one last trick up his sleeve…literally. His sword parried Cloud's constantly until the mercenary's guard was down. Then by a sliver of his hand the black materia flowed into Cloud's body without his notice.

* * *

When the mako beast sank his teeth into Cloud's shoulder he fell into a deep slumber that he should not have awaken from. Only by a familiar voice and violent shaking did he finally come to.

"Cloud! Cloud!"

His face scrunched up and he grabbed the girl's hand.

"Could you knock it off? My head hurts…" he groaned.

"Oh, sorry."

He opened his eyes to see it was Tifa with a worried look on her face. Denzel was beside her.

"What'd you do Cloud? That should've been over in like 3 seconds!"

"There was no threat; it was Mako Beast that was full of white materia. It said some junk about me putting you guys in danger and then it attacked me."

"That's weird," wondered Tifa, "didn't you mention Aerith at all?"

Cloud shook his head. "Maybe I should have. Then I wouldn't have been bitten."

"So what do we do now?" asked Denzel.

"We aren't doing anything. I'm going to get some answers and try to understand what that thing was yammering about."

Tifa bit her lip trying to form the right words to say to him. Finally she knew what they were. "I'll go with you, Cloud."

He didn't respond. Was he thinking about it or completely blowing me off again?

"Fine. Just don't get in my way." He muttered.

"When have I ever…" she questioned.

* * *

With no one else to turn to since the incident with the children Cloud figured the only one who could aid him with his problem was the one who supposedly brought the three brothers in this world: their 'Father'. He wouldn't be easy to find though, seeing as he almost was killed and has since hidden himself from the world.

Casually walking down the street the two stumble across an old abandoned stockade building. Tifa creaked open the gate.

"Think he'd be in here? They say nobody's been in here for years."

"Maybe," he said with curiosity.

He wasn't surprised to see that there was only crates and rusted machinery lying around. Disappointed, he turned for the exit when the door slammed shut in his face.

"What the hell?" he tried to budge the door open. "Tifa!"

She was no longer in the room. Frantically Cloud searched for a way out while a voice boomed from a distance.

"She is with us now! Her powers are ours to control!"

"Who is this!" Cloud demanded.

"Just some fellow Black Mako users looking to recruit the best of the best…namely you Cloud Strife! Of course, you don't have to join us but there will be consequences if you don't!"

He scoffed. "I'm not worried about Tifa. She can handle herself-"

"Not her fool! Those whom you are supposed to protect in this city!"

Realizing Denzel and the others were in danger, Cloud ignored the voice and drew his sword.

"Good. We'll finally see your skills in action!"

Out of nowhere several grunts burst out of the sides of the walls with auras of black mako surrounding them. Though he already knew it, his was the biggest aura of them all.


End file.
